Senecio plant named ‘Sunsenepiba’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Senecio  plant named ‘Sunsenepiba’, characterized by its upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; early flowering response; freely flowering habit; large daisy-type inflorescences with purple-violet and white bi-colored ray florets and darker purple-colored disc florets.

Botanical designation: Senecio hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sunsenepiba’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Senecio plant, botanically known as Senecio hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunsenepiba’.

The new Senecio plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of a proprietary selection of Senecio hybrida identified as code number RB325, not patented. The new Senecio was discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single flowering plant of the parent selection in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in February, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Senecio plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since March, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Senecio plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Senecio have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunsenepiba’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunsenepiba’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Senecio:

-   -   1. Upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Early flowering response.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large daisy-type inflorescences with purple-violet and white         bi-colored ray florets and darker purple-colored disc florets.

Plants of the new Senecio differ from plants of the parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Senecio flower earlier than plants of the         parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Senecio and the parent selection differ in         ray floret color as plants of the parent selection have red         purple and white bi-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Senecio can be compared to plants of Senecio cruentus×Senecio heritieri ‘Sunsenereba’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,122. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Senecio differed from plants of ‘Sunsenereba’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Senecio had darker green-colored leaves         than plants of ‘Sunsenereba’.     -   2. Plants of the new Senecio flowered earlier than plants of         ‘Sunsenereba’.     -   3. Plants of the new Senecio were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Sunsenereba’.     -   4. Plants of the new Senecio had shorter peduncles than plants         of ‘Sunsenereba’.     -   5. Plants of the new Senecio and ‘Sunsenereba’ differed slightly         in ray floret color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Senecio plant. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Senecio.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunsenepiba’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences and inflorescence buds of ‘Sunsenepiba’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in containers in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan during the winter in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Senecio production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 10° C. and night temperatures averaged 5° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were six months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fourth Edition, 2001, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Senecio hybrida ‘Sunsenepiba’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of a proprietary     selection of Senecio hybrida identified as code number RB325, not     patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at             20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Upright and mounded plant habit;             daisy-type inflorescences positioned well above the foliar             plane; freely branching habit; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 45.3 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 50 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 28.8 cm. Diameter: About             5.3 mm. Internode length: About 2 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144B tinted with close             to 187A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 6.9 cm. Width: About 8 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex:             Obtuse. Base: Cordate. Margin: Palmately lobed; crenate;             slightly undulate. Texture, upper surface: Sparsely             pubescent. Texture, lower surface: Densely pubescent.             Venation pattern: Pinnate; reticulate. Color: Developing and             fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B;             venation, close to 193C. Developing and fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to 194B; venation, close to             193C. Petioles: Length: About 8.2 cm. Diameter: About             2.7 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely             pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B             tinted with close to 187A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with narrowly             elliptic-shaped ray florets; inflorescences positioned above             the foliar plane, arising from upper leaf axils; disc and             ray florets developing acropetally on a capitulum;             inflorescences face mostly upright; freely flowering habit             with about 77 inflorescences developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—In Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan,             plants of the new Senecio flower continuously from winter to             late spring; early flowering response.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about two weeks             on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 9.1 mm. Diameter: About             6.5 mm. Shape: Globose. Color: Close to N187A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6.6 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.1 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.5 cm.         -   Ray florets.—Shape: Narrowly elliptic. Length: About 2.8 cm.             Width: About 7 mm. Apex: Obtuse to rounded, slightly             praemorse. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Number of ray             florets per inflorescence: About 13 in a single whorl.             Color: When opening, upper surface: Towards the apex, close             to N74A; towards the base, close to 155C. When opening,             lower surface: Close to N81B. Fully opened, upper surface:             Towards the apex, close to N80A to N80B, color becoming             closer to N80C with development; towards the base, close to             155C. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to N81C.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed.             Length: About 7.9 mm. Diameter: About 1.8 mm. Number of disc             floret per inflorescence: About 150. Color, immature and             mature: Close to N78A.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 14 in a single             whorl. Length: About 7.6 mm. Width: About 1.9 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: Close to 146A tinted with close to N186C.             Color, lower surface: Close to 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.6 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 187A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther color: Close to             N79C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 9A.             Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Stigma             shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 74C.         -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Senecio. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Senecio have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Senecio. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Senecio have been observed     to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct Senecio plant named ‘Sunsenepiba’ as illustrated and described. 